Creamy Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas
Being born and raised in the south, I was ingrained from a young age that, for every life event, we need some kind of food to go with it. We take food for every occasion: you rarely even visit someone without bringing along something to share. Although I no longer take it to that extreme, I still like to provide a meal for a family when there is a new baby. I know from much experience that coming home with a new baby takes time to adjust, and not having to meal-plan and cook dinner every night is a big relief. With the birth of “Baby Flash,” Lydia (aka Cluttered Genius) needs some fill-in blog posts, and since I am too far away to provide an actual meal, I am making this virtual meal for her:
Today, I am preparing Creamy Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas with a salad and Ro-tel Cheese dip. I have been making these enchiladas for years and years, and the recipe has developed and changed so much that I have no idea where it originally came from. It is not your traditional red sauce enchiladas, and it works well with shrimp, too. My seasonings are approximate as I always season to taste.
Creamy Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients:
2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, Diced
12 Flour Tortillas, Taco or Fajita sized
2 Tblsp Butter
2 Tblsp Flour
2 Cups Milk
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Tblsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tblsp Fajita Seasoning
2 Tsp Ground Chipotle Pepper
1 Tsp Salt (to taste)
1 Tsp Pepper (to taste)
2 Cups shredded Mexican Cheese
1 Can Ro-tel Diced Tomatoes & Chilies (Mild or Spicy version, at your preference)
- First, cut and brown the chicken in a deep sided skillet, seasoning to taste with the fajita seasoning. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt butter and add flour to create a Roux with the remaining seasoning. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add milk and stir well to remove lumps. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and add sour cream, paprika, chipotle powder, salt & pepper to your taste preference. Cook for 4-5 minutes till thickened. Remove from heat.
- Assemble all ingredients (tortillas, chicken, sauce, cheese & Ro-tel) so they are handy for easy filling and rolling.
- Spray casserole dish for baking lightly with nonstick spray or oil. Cover bottom of pan with cream sauce.
- Take each tortilla and fill with spoon full of cream sauce, chicken, sprinkle of cheese and Ro-tel. Roll and place into pan, seam side down. Repeat until all tortillas are rolled. Top with remaining cream mixture and shredded cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes @ 350 degrees.
Unless I know the family receiving this meal will be eating right away, I will often take the casserole partially pre-baked with baking instructions to finish it. Sometimes receiving food can be overwhelming. This gives the receiver more flexibility. When taking a meal, I always want to include sides and round out the meal as well. The salad is a simple tossed salad with tomatoes and cucumber. The cheese dip is one I have made since I was a child. Many people use salsa or other brands of tomatoes/peppers. This is the one I have always made and prefer.
Ro-tel Cheese Dip
1/2 block of Velveeta Cheese (approx 1lb), Cubed
1 can of Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Chilies, with some/most of the liquid removed (save it to add back, if the dip is too thick)
Microwave for approx 5 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes.
Serve with Tortilla Chips or Fritos
If you find yourself the one organizing meals for any life event, there is a great website for planning meals to take to a family. Check out Meal Train.com. It is free and very easy to setup and send out via email or share on Facebook. It even has a place to note allergies or food aversions. I have used it numerous times for school, church and my moms group with great success.
Welcome Baby Flash! Wish I could come to visit and bring this meal in person. Thank you Cluttered Genius for the opportunity to share it with you and your readers.
Dee is a mother of three, and one of my Sistas from Mamavation. She blogs over at Lumpy to Lean about her journey to leave obesity behind. Be sure to check her out and show her the love!
